


mooncrystalpower

by troublemaker (shoseilovemail)



Series: oh, magical love! [3]
Category: JO1 (Japan Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Magical Girls, Coming of Age, F/F, Magic, Useless Lesbians, i will carry this agenda with my bare cold hands, soulmates?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27781744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shoseilovemail/pseuds/troublemaker
Summary: Ren is a constant in her life - a constant of strangeness, of weird, twisted things and feelings. From the day they've met to this very moment, Takumi's been stuck to Ren and the abnormality surrounding her.At the worst point in her life, Takumi meets a strange girl.
Relationships: Kawanishi Takumi & Kawashiri Ren, Kawanishi Takumi/Kawashiri Ren
Series: oh, magical love! [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1983736
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	mooncrystalpower

**Author's Note:**

  * For [takunism (weareinnoir)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/weareinnoir/gifts).



> Put your image into my eyes  
> to remember it forever.  
> Like an osasis in the desert, you were always protected by my side.  
>  _\- mooncrystalpower_

Her steps echo one by one. _Click clack. Click clack._ A metallic echo, the only sound in the big, empty factory. She lets her mind be filled up with it, like water poured into a glass; to drown out thoughts she doesn't want to have right now.

It just what she _needs_ right now, not any of her friends, not her family, not sweet treats or study notes. Takumi just _needs_ to be alone right now.

Unfortunately, she isn't.

Takumi stops, and it's silent. There's no sound, only her and the girl on the ground in the factory.

She blinks once, twice, but the girl's still laying on the ground. Unbothered, fast asleep, she's laying on her back, limbs stretched in all directions like a starfish, head facing the sky.

Her hair goes everywhere, too, and it fades from silver to black at the top. Takumi recognizes the school uniform as her own; however, she's never seen this girl before. _Maybe she's new?_

Takumi turns her back on the girl, _the day's been strange enough_ , she thinks.

Right.

The memory flashes in front of her eyes, replays over and over as to spite her and prove some point, like _you're a fucking magical girl, isn't that awesome?_

But she shakes her head. It isn't, it isn't.

 _"with the power of magic and love! "_ Love. She _really_ doesn't need love.

"God, such a stupid cat- " She stops when she hears another voice saying the same words with her. And when she turns around, she meets eyes with the strange girl.

It's a moment equally as strange; Takumi experiences something that's probably the closest to a déjà vu but not quite. It just feels like it's a moment that was _supposed_ to happen. It's satisfying and mind-boggling, pleasant and perplexing. Blink once, blink twice. _Is this real?_

"So... " the girl starts, uncertain but brave, "you're a magical girl too? "

The words echo in Takumi's mind. She'd have never imagined to be asked such an... _illusory_ question _nor_ that she'd say yes. Sadly, this is her reality.

The other girl's eyes lighten up with something like excitement - it's pretty, actually, how they widen and then crease into tiny crescents as her lips curl up into a smile. She claps her hands and Takumi flinches back unintentionally. _Wait, has she been to focused on the sparkling eyes?_

"I'm one too! I'm so happy that I met you! I'm Ren! "

She holds out her hand, and purses her lips, not forgetting to put on a smile, though. Takumi's eyes flicker from the ground to Ren's _shining_ eyes to her smiling lips to her hand and back to her own, balled up in her long skirt.

Her eyes must be so full of uncertainty, because when she looks back at Ren, she nods and all of her, eyes, lips, body, hand is brimming with confidence.

Takumi thinks - _thinks sharply_ \- and makes her choice.

When she feels Ren's fingers curl around her own, _tightly_ \- it feels like the world takes a break for just that moment, and starts anew.

It feels like the beginning of something. Something great.

  
  


"This was a crazy idea! ", Takumi yells over the blowing wind. She ducks behind a chimney to avoid the wind coming at her. Her nails dig into the stone, scratching on it as she drifts towards the edge.

"Probably! ", Ren yells from behind her. She herself's one foot in the air, holding onto nothing but the bricks and Takumi's side. Her fingers curl into her, tight, and Takumi swallows.

They've done this a lot of times over the past year, but the fear's always present - they're fighting _actual_ monsters after all. There's always a voice at the back of Takumi's head, scared that she'll lose.

But it takes her one look - one glance at Ren, whose eyes are ever so fierce, so full of courage and boldness, a fore that's never going extinct. Takumi admires it, she really does.

"Alright. I'm gonna do it. ", Ren says, already climbing up, until Takumi stops her with one arm.

She doesn't say a word but looks into Ren's eyes again, and the older looks back. Takumi nods, mouths _be careful_ , and Ren knows.

She stands up, shakenly but brave, holds her head up high and grasps her moonbong tightly. The light flashes around her and in less than a second she's fully transformed, into her blue-white outfit with the high boots and long skirt.

Behind her is Takumi, in her respective pink outfit, nodding, and Ren knows what to do. She holds out her arm and her bow materializes. She spans the arrow, aims into the middle of the storm monster, and shoots.

It hits into the bullseye, next thing Ren knows, Takumi's praising her, and she looks up to the clear sky and sighs in relief.

  
  


Takumi leans back, holding onto the car roof, and looks up. There is the night sky, so gorgeous. Thousands of little twinkling stars up there, shining bright on their own. Right.

"Thank you for helping me again "

Only when Ren emits a _huh_ , Takumi realizes she's blurted out her thoughts.

"No, I mean, really- " she's already scratching the back of her head, shrinking into herself put of reflex _just a bit_. "... I mean it. "

"It's fine ", Ren chuckles, a sound that reminds Takumi of jingle bells. _Oh_ , her smile looks so nice, too-

Takumi looks away, because she's _embarrassed_? She doesn't know herself. "Thank you too ", Ren whispers and lays down on her back, stretching out widely; Takumi joins her by her side.

Takumi diverts her eyes to the sky again. She feels the cold of the car metal on her back but the stars' light feels warm. It's something she could easily lose herself in - gazing up there, trying to find patterns and shapes connecting all those little dots of light.

Then, she finds herself looking at Ren again - and she's got all those stars in her eyes, too. Takumi's chest fills with warmth, and she can't help but speak out her thoughts.

"Thank you for being my friend. "

Ren just smiles turning towards her, eyes turning into little crescents.

"Seriously ", Takumi adds, and Ren laughs. Takumi feels her hand on her own again, providing warmth in a cold night. Ren likes doing that.

"Thank you for being my friend, too. "

It's a small whisper, but genuine - enough that Takumi feels herself starting to beam, and she turns back to the stars, with Ren's fingers curled around her own, and she wishes that she can stay like this forever.

  
  


The sun shines down on Takumi as she sips her iced latte. The ice glitters in the sunlight; it's almost a bit blinding.

"Such a nice day today ", Ren says (of course, they're together, because _when are they not?_ ). She's got a coffee on her own, with extra sugar because she doesn't like the bitterness.

"That's because of your efforts ", Takumi says, taking another sip.

"Yours, too. "

"You did most of the work, though. ", Takumi argues. Ren rolls her eyes comically, but leaves it be. There's silence ( _technically_ there's the chatter of the people around them, clicking heels and shoes and the ice in Takumi's cup rattling). But it's the silence between the both of them, and in those moments, Takumi feels oddly uncomfortable.

"How's Mokka? "

Takumi watches the change in Ren's eyes - how they widen, how they light up - at the sound of her dog's name.

"Great ", she says softly. Not too enthusiastically, but with joy. Takumi returns the smile. "That's good to hear. "

"On the topic of that, I... My family asked if I'll go with them to go for a drive this weekend ", Ren continues, and Takumi can already see the puppy eyes forming, "so you'd be alone, I hope that's okay. "

"Yes, of course it's okay ", Takumi replies (it's not, but Ren doesn't have to know that). Takumi will hold up against the monsters swarming Tokyo that reach up as high as the cities' highest skyscrapers. She will, somehow.

"That's amazing, thank you! " Takumi watches Ren's eyes again, how they turn into tiny crescents as she smiles. They always do. _It's cute._

She finds herself looking at Ren's eyes many more times that day - she thinks, feels something but it's shoved away before it can be processed. Glances that never last long; never more than fleeting. It's all not important.

  
  


"And you move your arm here, and your leg there... "

Takumi's listening ( _trying to_ ), but before she can even blink, she's on the floor again. And Ren's looking at her, sighs and helps her up again. "Hurts ", Takumi huffs.

"Well, what'd you expect? ", Ren just says.

"I guess... "

"Alright. Back to this position... "

Takumi can't complain because she got herself into this. _She_ asked Ren to teach her martial arts. And she knows that Ren has a black belt and no mercy ( _although_ she always smiles whenever Takumi falls again, helps her up and there's this clenching in her chest and... whatever).

Takumi doesn't really know what she's doing so she lets Ren guide her limbs wherever they're supposed to be, and after some time she even starts getting a sense for it. Arm up there, leg diagonal to opposite, close and counter...

"You're getting the hang of it! ", Ren comments happily from the ground (Takumi thinks she let herself fall out of pity, but she accepts the compliment).

She nods, claps her hands together, and feels an inexplicable warmth rise in her chest and cheeks. Well, it's been hours they've been doing this, so she's probably just exhausted. "Let's get some water ", she suggests.

 _Getting some water_ means that Takumi shuffles to the vending machine outside the gym hall under extreme heat. She stretches as she waits for the drinks to pop out.

When she lets her limbs fall down loosely, the drinks fall out, too, just in time. Takumi reaches forward to grab them, but then she hesitates; stops her hand mid air.

There’s a tiny voice, tucked away at the very back of her head that _reminds_ her. Reminds her of the sensations, thoughts, feelings she gets when she's close to... Ren.

The image of the older girl flashes in front of her eyes, with her bright eye smile, pink lips and pretty hands. Her _beauty_ it is that makes Takumi feel this nervous around her when they've been friends for over a year; that makes her skin tingle with warmth, her cheeks flush and her steps unsure.

Another image flashes; one that envisions them close together, Takumi holding Ren, hands wrapped around her waist and lips close-

 _What, that you think all of this,_ says the voice, _what does that mean?_

Takumi knows what it means. Very well. She sighs and sighs deeply, grabs the water and straightens up.

 _No._ , is her response.

Then she goes back to Ren with two bottles of iced water.

Ren smiles at her, says thanks with joy in her voice. Takumi smiles back and averts her gaze.

  
  


(Later, she changes her mind.)

She's watching Ren take down another voidling with her bow and arrow, and sighs. And sighs. It's a battle with herself, of thoughts and feelings and imagines and realities. Takumi feels _something_ , for a fact. But...

Ren waves to her from where she's floating in the air, "I got another one! " And she wears that smile, and Takumi thinks _fuck._ She can't do this much longer.

Instead, she takes her sceptre out again and casts a spell against a dozen of stormlings beneath her. Swings the sceptre left, right, draws a star and says, "Moon crystal power! " and a beam of light flushes the enemies away.

She puts her hands on her hips, gives Ren a thumbs up and proceeds. And repeats. It's a routine she can fall into - to avoid her stupid feelings and everything else that entails.

In the end, they manage to clear everything up, and Ren offers a high five when they're back on the ground. Takumi smiles, tries to not smile to wide. She thinks she almost saved for the day when Ren starts talking in the car.

"Good job today. "

Takumi hums, leans towards the window rather than Ren. (She hopes that Ren won't perceive it as rude).

"At some point, one voidling almost got my feet with its tentacles ", Ren continues, "but I luckily got away. I mean, obviously I did, right? " She laughs and Takumi just hums again. She can see Ren smiling in the window reflection, but she still doesn't turn around. No, she wants to stay like this...

Ren must've said something, because she mutters "nevermind " and stops the car at a traffic light. She pulls down the window and unties her hair. She does that when she gets upset.

Takumi, for a moment, regrets her action - but it's also her choice, that's better for _both_ of them, and sometimes the better way just hurts a bit more. _Right?_

Ren is, all things considered, pretty much perfect - but a) Takumi's too shy and b) she does not have _any_ realistic chance with Ren. She's way, way out of her league. Takumi questions why they're still friends sometimes, when they've met in such a weird way.

Ren, who is so brave, optimistic, strong and beautiful, Ren who is and out, throughout so awesome.

And she doesn't want thinks to become weird between them - it's also fine like this, just being with Ren, and if Takumi controls herself, doesn't let herself get too attached, she can make this work.

That's it, she can _choose_.

"YOU FUCKING IDIOT! ", Ren yells at a driver swaying in front of them, taking her back to reality. Takumi chuckles, and thinks, that's where she is right now.

But maybe, that's not where she _should_ be.

  
  


Takumi's watching the aftermath of a thunderdon pouring down onto the city. It was an especially big one, reaching the heights of Tokyo's highest skyscrapers. Now its cloud core is dissolving in the form of rain.

"Why so melancholic there ", she hears Ren, laughter coming from her side. She puts up her umbrella for the both of them. Their shoulders brush together and Takumi moves a bit to the left, away from Ren, _just slightly_. She gives the older a glance, then turns back to the ever so grey sky. She can see the raindrops hitting the see-through umbrella.

There's a silence but it's comfortable - they listen to the sound of rain, knowing that it'll be over soon, and the day's been saved yet again. Takumi can only anticipate the monthly 'thank you ' payment from the local weather station. (It comes as a box of chocolates and flowers, always handed to them by the nice weather girl.)

When Takumi glances at Ren again, _lord_ , she's starstruck. Ren's always pretty, but right now, here she is _beautiful_. Even more, the word's not doing her justice.

And here, too, Takumi realizes that she's always liked - _loved_ \- Ren like this. From when they first met she's grown and Takumi's been with her all along, watched her change; dye her hair from silver to blue to black, her height grown and her laughter get brighter.

In this - loud - silence, Takumi feels all the sensations on her skin, her body - the warmth grows in her chest although it's so cold around them, and the words are one the tip of her tongue. _I like you. No, I love you_

But she can't, shouldn't - it's just stupid feelings. That make things weird and complicated. If she gives them no attention, they're not real, are they?

Next to Takumi, Ren lets out a sigh. "2 years ", she exhales. "For 2 years we've been doing this now. "

That makes Takumi reminisce - the memories play like a film in front of her eyes; from her meeting a strange girl at the end of her teens to fighting monsters with her for the next few years, as friends side by side.

But she's known Ren long enough to know the actual implications of that statement - it's what she's been seeing from the start - being trapped in this kind of lifestyle, between helping others and sacrificing yourself. They were chosen when they were 17; now they're 19 and still here.

They're still fighting, she's still in love; they can't escape, she can't get behind her feelings.

Still, Takumi says, "We'll find our way ", and that's almost a lie because she knows very well that that's not something she believes in. But that's _fine_ , isn't it?

The rain continues falling. They continue looking up, trying to find whatever between the water drops.

"We'll find our place ", Takumi whispers.

  
  


Days, weeks, even months pass by in a daze. It's all the same as always, with Takumi just always taking little steps away from Ren - saying that she's busy when the older wants to hang out or similar. She finds a lot of time for herself, and, albeit unfamiliar, it is nice. It's nice to not have people (or monsters) around you all the time.

She starts thinking that yes, this is the place she should be at - and where she should stay. Where she _can_ stay.

Ren doesn't seem to take it too hard - obviously, people drift apart by little bits over the years and that's fine. _They can still be friends._ Takumi thinks she might've made a valley between them, but as long as there's a bridge, they'll still be fine, right?

At least she feels happier like this - half apart from Ren, never really there, never really away. It's a safe distance, where she can't risk her feelings growing bigger than they already are.

(Admittedly, in the beginning, it hurt. She's cried through some nights, wanted to end this state, cursing out her stupid mind and feelings. But she's told herself, over and over, that with persistence, she's going to make it. And sometimes it still hurts, but she pushes it away, believing that it's the best for both of them.)

That's the only thing she wants, in the end - for Ren to be happy.

  
  


It's one of those days where Takumi just lays in bed all day and contemplates her life choices.

Well, she didn't exactly _choose_ this. She looks at her phone, and at Ren's message.

**Ren**

look what i found!!! _link_

The link preview shows _The Supernatural Union - for everything extraordinary_. It's an actual union for magical beings, like Ren and her. It feels good to know that they're not the only ones with crazy powers. Takumi scrolls through the _members_ page, and there's a girl that can teleport, a boy born with wings and a magic doctor. They look content with genuine smiles, just a little bit forced.

There's also another link that Ren sent, with the words _what do you think_. It's an application form for the union's service - as working agents.

 _it would be something we could do, wouldn't it?_ Ren texts.

 _i suppose_ , Takumi types. Then she deletes it, and opts for simply _yeah_ She goes back to the form. There's the usual questions to be filled out, like name, birth date, gender...

**10.** _How would you describe your relationship with your partner?_

Oh.

Takumi thinks. It shouldn't be that hard, right? Just write something. It will do.

_I get along with Ren, I really like-_

She stops. And sighs.

Thinking about it, it makes her chest feel heavy, like it's pierced by an arrow, and it hurts when it shouldn't. When she doesn't want it to hurt.

It's stupid, really, but she choose this. So she'll go through with it to the end no matter want. So she can ignore this, right? Yes, she can.

(Or can she?)

Takumi drops the phone to the side, and burries her face in her hands.

In the almost 3 years of their friendship, Takumi has met Ren's family only once. They're nice, she supposes - Ren's the second youngest among 4 sisters, all of them adults. Like their parents, they're pursuing exquisite things - fashion design, law, social studies. And Ren who wants to do psychology one day. Takumi feels like a black sheep between them - who doesn't have a clue what to do with her life.

(Well, she's spent the last years of her youth fighting monsters, so there wasn't really time for much.)

"You could always become like... an idol, y'know? ", Mei, the oldest, suggests. "I mean, it's a tough job, but you've got the looks. " Takumi shakes her head in denial, but Mei makes a disapproving face. "I designed fits for way worse. Really, if you don't know what to do you should try. "

"Or study something ", Rin says, "like you're still young, you can do anything. You can also become happy just working in a café or something... "

Takumi simply shrugs. "I really don't know. "

"You're not better than Ren, then. " , Rin giggles, and Takumi breaks out into a smile, too.

See, it's not like she gets on with them better than Ren, but there's also something about them that's pulling her in. And especially now, while she's trying to keep her distance, it feels nice - it's a different kind of fun.

Takumi has never been a very social person, and has stuck to Ren ever since they've met so it's nice to be with other people. There's no pressure, no hidden feelings, just... normality.

If she thinks about it, her life is not normal at all. She's a fucking magical girl who fights weather monsters. That says it all, pretty much.

And Ren's the center of it - its start and its end, the middle point and the final rush. The moment Takumi's _chosen_ to take her hand all those years ago, something shifted into place, _something_ began to move. It was an almost fateful occurrence, changing their lives forever.

Ren is a constant in her life - a constant of strangeness, of weird, twisted things and feelings. From the day they've met to this very moment, Takumi's been stuck to Ren and the abnormality surrounding her.

She's been bound to her by some otherworldly power, like the one that the moon gave them, the one held in their transform sticks. It's like those crystals, colourful and filled with magic, that can do wonders. Maybe they've been tied to each other with a crystal.

But Takumi would just love to get away from it, for a little while. She needs normality back. Nothing odd, strange, magical. _It's more comfortable_ , she thinks.

So when she can laugh with Ren's sisters, or her friends, it makes her feel a type of way she hasn't felt in a long time. Something she's missed for a long time.

Maybe she shouldn't laugh over some things but she still does, enjoys herself because _fuck it_ , it's her life. Her own life. She'll do what pleases her.

After she decided that for herself, things became easier - Takumi feels lighter. And as she sits at the Kawashiri's round table, laughing with them, it feels like a place where she can be.

Even when Ren passes by, she's smiling and Takumi feels content.

(She doesn't see the bitterness of Ren's smile. She doesn't see the dull shining of her eyes.

And even when Takumi arrives at home deep into the night, she feels just a little cold, and her eye is itchy.

She sleeps it off.)

  
  


Takumi doesn't know why she's awake.

It's 3 a.m., she sees on her phone, and she sighs. Deeply.

She tries to go back to sleep immediately, but there's something... something that makes it impossible for her to fall asleep. There's a feeling she can't pinpoint. Tugging at her heartstrings, an invisible, unknown pain. A longing?

Takumi stares at the wall trying to get behind her melancholy until there's a beep coming from her phone.

**Ren**

hi im sorry its late ure probably not awake but can i come over?

\- 3.02 a.m.

It's just a bit comforting that at least someone's awake, too - Takumi sends a quick _sure_ and falls back onto her bed. It's so dark, and cold. She wishes she could get some warmth, maybe she should go back to sleep -

The doorbell rings.

When Takumi opens the door there's Ren, all dressed and wide awake, eyes as clear as ever.

"Hi ", she says. "I'm sorry, if I woke you up - "

"No no, it's fine ", Takumi replies, "I was awake anyways. " She tries, but can't hide the sleepiness in her voice.

Ren throws her hair over her shoulder. It shines in the dark, Takumi notices. Is it a different colour?

"Do you want to... go somewhere? "

The question comes out of nowhere and quite honestly, Takumi is baffled. She just wants to go back into her warm bed and sleep, but... It doesn't _feel_ right. Ren's eyes are pleading even though she tries not to come off as.

And even though Takumi is tired and wants to go nowhere, Ren's in front of wanting to go anywhere, and Takumi sees her eyes and makes a choice.

"Let's go, then. "

Takumi throws on a hoodie and when she comes out, Ren's already in the car. Takumi's barely with both feet in the car when Ren drives off.

The wind surrounds Takumi's ears, the air is fresh and clean - it's nice. Ren's tapping the steering wheel with one finger, along to a rhythm that exists only in her head.

Maybe it's strange, uncommon, unusual that they're on a car drive to nowhere at 3 a.m. - but who cares, right? Right...

See, it's like this - Takumi's been trying to get away from... this all, but in the end, she can't. She's tied to Ren by fate or another mysterious power, and no matter how far she tries to be away from her, she'll always go back to Ren. No matter what.

And maybe that's right.

Takumi looks at Ren, and there - when she shines in the moonlight, eyes focused on the road. They're crystal clear, full with light and filled deep with the night. Takumi, for once in a long time, allows herself to think _wow, she's so beautiful_ and that she wants nothing more but to kiss her and hold her close.

Probably, Takumi's pushed this all away because it's what she wants, but she feels like she can't have.

And that makes her feel a thousand things and, above all, confident, determined - now that she's realized that, she can maybe even tell Ren, explain herself -

Then, Ren stops the car.

Takumi turns to her confused, and Ren is just... sitting there. Her expression is dejected, unreadable, and Takumi doesn't know what to make out of it. Silence hangs between them, like a heavy, heavy curtain.

Takumi could say anything, like _how's your day been?_ or _wow, you died your hair back to silver!_ or something similar. But there's a black hole in her mind.

"The night is nice... isn't? ", Takumi finally attempts, testing the waters. Ren hums, and leans back. "Look ", she whispers. And the sky is so beautiful, dark blue black decorated with thousands of tiny sparkling stars, all around the moon.

Takumi lifts her finger up as if to try and draw patters between the stars. Always, _always_ she can always lose herself looking at the stars.

They sit in silence again, and actually feels nice. Like the world's right, and there's no worries...

"I missed you " breaks the silence.

Those three words pierce through Takumi's chest like an arrow, pointy and sharp. They awaken something that's been buried for a long time, and Takumi's chest feels heavy all of a sudden. She looks to Ren and sees the stars glittering in her eyes, shining off the tears in them.

Ren's never been one to cry _at all_ , and now it hurts even more. Here, at this time, in this place, it feels more genuine and raw than anything Takumi's seen in three years. And it says more than a thousand words could do.

Takumi wants to say at least _something_ , but Ren's quicker. "I just feel like I haven't seen you in months, although we've been friends for years. " It's bitter and truthful, and _shit_ , it hurts.

Takumi wants to say something, _needs_ to say something, but words escape her. There's a whirl of feelings and phrases in her head, so much that it's like a white blank space.

She looks at Ren and their eyes meet like that - shining under the moon, full of stars - _and hopes?_ Takumi tries searches for something in Ren's eyes, something that'd reassure her with what she must inevitably say.

But Ren, the one always close to mystery and oddity, is an enigma herself. Takumi's never know what she thinks, from the first second they met to this one right now. She's always been that strange girl from the factory, in Takumi's mind.

Ren's come into her life and turned it upside down, and Takumi never even knew _where_ she came from - and now, when she's about to say the truth, it frightens her.

Ren frowns. Takumi looks down to her own hands, balled up in her leggings, and it feels like a weird déjà vu.

"So what about you? Are you just going to say nothing? ", Ren says, cutting through silence with words sharp as a knife. Her eyes are clear, expectant, but also just slightly, _unusually_ uncertain.

And Takumi knows, the more she waits, the closely she gets to the edge - so in this moment, she says _fuck it_ and makes a choice.

"The moment we met, over three years ago ", she starts. She keeps her eyes on Ren's, gauging her reaction. The eyes are always so honest.

"it felt so strangely fateful, and I've spent all those years trying to make sense of it, of how I felt. "

Ren's eyes haven't changed. "Now I know ", Takumi exhales.

"From that moment on to the moment right now, I loved you. And I still do. I loved you since we were seventeen. "

Ren's eyes widen, Takumi sees the words forming on her tongue but she doesn't want to give her a moment to speak. Suddenly there's so much, too much to say but Takumi wants to get it all out.

"I'm incredibly, so deeply sorry. That's probably never going to... make up for this and... " She looks down. "You can hate me. I shouldn't have pushed you away. It wasn't fair. "

"But ", and she lays her gaze on Ren again, tries to look full of bravery as Ren always is. Ren's face is blurry, she can't see her eyes.

"I felt like- " and Takumi realizes that her words are choked with tears - "I felt like it was wrong, y'know. We're supposed to save the world together. There was no place... for love. "

It feels incredibly relieving to get those words out, words that've been stuck in her for too long. And she realizes that she can't, can never be as strong as Ren, because she breaks down in tears, both light with relief and heavy with fear.

Anything could destroy her right now, she's so honest, so raw and fragile. She's made her choice, now it all depends on Ren.

And she chooses to hug her.

Takumi feels the warmth envelop her, and she can't help but cry, let it all out. She also feels Ren's tears dripping onto her shoulder, and she knows, for once, that they're tears of joy.

But Takumi focuses on the feeling - the warmth radiating from Ren, that feels like everything she's longed for in her life. It's like coming into your warm house after travelling through a cold storm, like falling into bed after a long day of work; like coming back after weeks of far away travel. _Home_. That's what it is.

"I was so scared ", Ren says, voice hoarse, "that I could lose you. I always tried to be brave because I wanted to protect you. " Takumi, unknowingly, starts stroking her back. "I just- I thought you started to hate me. "

Ren's voice is full of pain but Takumi can hear the relief in it. "I'm sorry. It was the opposite. I was scared that I'd get too close. "

Ren pulls away, and cups Takumi's face with her ends. She smiles and it's beautiful; how the stars and the moon shine on her, her silver hair, her black eyes, how _she_ shines. All along, she's always shined so brightly - for Takumi.

"When we first met, I felt like - like it was fate. " Takumi takes one of Ren's hands into her own, warming herself. "Did you- did you feel that too? "

Ren nods, genuinely. "Always, I felt like we're meant for each other. Like some magical power was trying to get us together. Like the one held in our crystals. "

Takumi smiles so widely that she looks down embarrassed, but when Ren comes close and kisses her smile, it's such a good feeling, and warm happiness blooms in her chest.

It's a moment that as soon as she happens, she knows that she'll hold close - forever. Buried deep in her chest, a reminder of warmth and acceptance and arrival and belonging. Short - _love_.

They separate and Takumi takes a moment to just look at Ren, take all of her in. It's a moment where she allows herself to; a glance that's not fleeting but staying.

The possibilities, just like the stars, shine in Ren's eyes, and she's as confident as she always is. And just like back then, Takumi feels reassured - by Ren, who's her other half, without who she can't live.

They're meant to be together, to complete each other, tied to be always around each other by magical love, like moons orbiting around each other.

  
  


There's another storm coming, and Takumi and Ren are quick to take action. It's started to become worse recently, and they're now more needed than ever. As expected, the stormling causing it is huge, skyscraper height; a true monster.

Takumi ducks to avoid another windslash incoming, and quickly fires back a beam of light. The stormling groans, and releases another wave of windslashes.

"Shit ", Ren shouts, "Takumi, get back here! "

The younger girl arrives just in time before the sharp wind hits the roof they're on. She catches Ren's waist in the air and holds on tightly until they land on the bubble mattress made by Ren.

Takumi lands softly and in relief, but next to her, Ren groans and holds her ankle. Takumi jumps up to see a deep red cut reach all over her leg. "Oh my god, Ren! " she says, panting, "Are you okay? "

The older just moves her head and squints her eyes closed, presses out a faint "no ". Takumi stands up, sets her jaw. "You stay here, I'll take on this beast. "

She's about to run off when Ren grabs her wrist. Takumi looks back at her, and Ren mouths _be careful_. Takumi nods, smiles reassuringly, and then she's on her way already.

When she hits the core of the stormling with her beam, it feels strange, like a twisted déjà vu - has _she_ done this before? Or did someone else? Did someone else protect her?

Then she's watching the sky clear up, and Ren whispers something in her arms. When Takumi leans closer, she's saying "... thank you for protecting me. "

"It's okay ", Takumi replies, holding her head up high, heading towards the hospital. "You've always protected me, too. "

  
  


"And- open! "

Takumi wipes nervous sweat off her forehead, and Ren smiles brightly besides her. "We did it! " she shouts, "We did it! "

Takumi only smiles but is almost thrown off their couch by the incoming hug. "Hey- haha, Ren stop- ! ", she laughs.

But Ren's never stoppable when she's excited - and well, she has all right to. She shoves the phone into Takumi's face, saying "We did it! " over and over. She's overjoyed, but when is she not?

"Now, stop please- " Takumi says, and Ren stops, laying like a blanket on Takumi. She doesn't want _that_ to stop, though - she can spend hours in Ren's arms. That are so warm, homey and comfortable.

After a while, Ren sits up, just slightly, so that her elbows are on Takumi's chest, and she can feel the older's hot breath on her nose. "I _knew_ we could do it, actually. ", she says with a grin.

"Well, I had my dou- "

"Hush! " Ren places a finger on Takumi's lips and shakes her head. "Nothin' of that tonight.

Takumi loves this about Ren - how, despite everything, it seems like she's never afraid, always brave and looking ahead. She's always seeing the light, and taking Takumi towards it.

And when she does fall, Takumi's there for her, because she can protect her, too. They are partners, after all - even officially now, as they've just became part of the Supernatural Union. And they will work close together for years to come.

And Takumi knows, now, that they're meant to be - it's someone's magic power, maybe a wondrous crystal's, maybe the universe's, but she doesn't care. It matters that she knows that it's right this way, that this is their place.

Ren kisses the tip of her nose and Takumi giggles, wrapping her arms around Ren's neck and holding her close to her chest. She sighs in relief, and just lets herself feel the joy of the moment.

Really, this is where she wants to be, where she should be, and where she will always choose to be.

**Author's Note:**

> For laura. christmas season gift. thank you for everything <3 you are a genius and you are not allowed to deny it 
> 
> Very many thanks to em for betaing :] title is from mooncrystalpower by orbit
> 
> Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment or find me on [ cc ](https://curiouscat.qa/Shoseilover) or [ twt ](https://twitter.com/shoseilovemail)


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